When is the cruising season in Sicily?

May to October. The Aeolian islands are at their best in June and September, and July and August are the busiest months.

Where do Sicily charters depart from?

Palermo for the north-west and the Egadi islands, where Marina Villa Igiea takes yachts up to 65 metres; Portorosa or Milazzo for the Aeolian islands; and Porto dell'Etna at Riposto, for yachts up to 80 metres, for Taormina and the east coast. Taormina itself has no harbour: yachts anchor in the bays below the town.

How long is a typical charter from Sicily?

Seven to ten nights covers the Aeolian islands and part of the Sicilian coast. With two weeks, the route can add the Egadi islands off the west coast, or run south along the east coast past Siracusa towards Malta.

What does a Sicily yacht charter cost?

Sicily follows Mediterranean rates: from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week for a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht, and from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000 for 30 to 45 metres, before running costs. Yachts above 50 metres start from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually. The APA, VAT and a customary gratuity bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.

Which airports serve a Sicily charter?

Palermo's airport, 32 kilometres west of the city, suits the north-west and the Egadi islands. Catania's Fontanarossa, Sicily's busiest airport, serves Taormina and the east coast, with Porto dell'Etna at Riposto about 30 minutes away; ash from Etna occasionally closes it, usually for no more than a day. For the Aeolian islands, guests fly into either and continue by road to Portorosa or Milazzo.

Which Aeolian islands should a charter include?

A week can take in all seven. Lipari and Salina have the main harbours and suit evenings ashore; Vulcano is the closest to Sicily; Panarea, Filicudi and Alicudi are settled-weather anchorages; and Stromboli, constantly active, is best seen from the water after dark. The order is set each day by the wind, which in summer usually blows from the north-west or north-east.

Can you see Stromboli erupting from a yacht?

Usually, yes. Stromboli has been in almost continuous activity for thousands of years, with small summit explosions at intervals of minutes to hours that are visible from the sea. Yachts stand off the Sciara del Fuoco, on the north-west flank, after dark. Activity varies, and the civil protection alert level is checked before the visit.

Are the Egadi islands worth including?

Yes, on a western route from Palermo or Trapani. Favignana lies about 16 kilometres south-west of Trapani, with Levanzo and its prehistoric cave paintings close by and Marettimo the most westerly. The islands lie within a marine protected area of nearly 54,000 hectares, whose four zones carry their own rules on navigation and anchoring.

What winds should a Sicily charter expect?

In the Aeolian islands, summer winds usually blow from the north-west or north-east, with sea breezes in calm spells, and the day's anchorage is chosen on the sheltered side. Strong southerlies are the main concern, since even the harbours of Lipari and Salina then give little protection, and gales, though uncommon, are possible in spring and early summer.

Sicilian coastline and Mediterranean Sea viewed from Taormina

Italy · yacht charter

Sicily.

Cruising from Palermo, Portorosa and the east coast below Taormina, with the Aeolian islands off the north coast and the Egadi islands off Trapani.

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Overview

What to expect.

Sicily is a longer-cruise island rather than a single bay, and the routing follows the coast you start from. Palermo anchors the north-west, within a day of the Aeolian islands and the run east along the Tyrrhenian shore toward Cefalù. Taormina and the marina at Riposto sit on the Ionian side beneath Etna, closer to the Strait of Messina and the Calabrian coast. Milazzo is the shortest hop to the Aeolians and the usual embarkation when the archipelago is the point of the week.

The Aeolian islands are the draw. Lipari and Salina for the harbours and the anchorages, Panarea for the summer fleet, and Stromboli for an evening under the active cone. A yacht charter week in Sicily built around the archipelago threads the seven islands over several days, using the sheltered sides as the afternoon breeze fills, then returns to the mainland coast for the passage home.

On the north coast, the stretch from Palermo to Cefalù runs past Capo Zafferano and the Madonie foothills, with Cefalù’s cathedral town a fixture near the eastern end. A typical seven-to-ten-night brief combines the Sicilian coast with the Aeolians in one direction, rather than doubling back, and longer weeks extend west to the Egadi islands or south toward Malta. The crew set the daily timing against the Tyrrhenian afternoon breeze and the ferry traffic in the busier harbours.

Private yacht charter in Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, and from the water it is several cruising grounds at once: the Aeolian islands off the north coast, two of them active volcanoes, the Egadi islands off the west, and the east coast running under Etna past Taormina to Siracusa. A Sicily yacht charter usually takes one of these for a week and joins two over a longer stay.

Harbours are few and the Aeolian anchorages depend on the wind, so the starting port shapes the route.

The islands and coasts of Sicily

The Aeolian islands. Seven islands 30 to 80 kilometres off the north coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000: Lipari, Vulcano, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi and Alicudi. Vulcano is the closest to Sicily, Lipari and Salina have the main harbours, and Panarea, Filicudi and Alicudi offer anchorages for settled weather.

Stromboli. In almost constant activity, with small summit explosions at intervals of minutes to hours that can be watched from the sea. After dark, yachts stand off the Sciara del Fuoco, the great horseshoe-shaped scar on the north-west flank. The civil protection alert level is checked before every visit.

The Egadi islands. Off Trapani at the western tip: Favignana, about 16 kilometres from the port, Levanzo, with its prehistoric cave paintings, and Marettimo, the most westerly. The archipelago lies within a marine protected area of nearly 54,000 hectares.

Palermo and the north-west. Palermo has berths for large yachts at Marina Villa Igiea, for yachts up to 65 metres, and at Palermo Marina Yachting, opened in the city's port in 2023. From the city, the Egadi islands are a day's passage west and the Aeolian islands east.

Taormina and the east coast. Taormina stands on a cliff about 200 metres above the Ionian Sea, with its ancient theatre in the town and the Isola Bella nature reserve below. It has no harbour: yachts anchor in the bays beneath the town, Mazzarò among them, and guests go ashore by tender. The nearest berths are the seasonal pontoons at Giardini Naxos and Porto dell'Etna at Riposto, for yachts up to 80 metres.

Siracusa. The island old town of Ortigia, a UNESCO World Heritage site with the necropolis of Pantalica since 2005, faces the Great Harbour, with the Greek Theatre close by and the Plemmirio marine protected area offshore.

A week in the Aeolian islands

From Portorosa or Milazzo, Vulcano is the first island, about 15 to 20 nautical miles out. Lipari and Salina follow in short hops, with evenings in their harbours. Filicudi and Alicudi, to the west, suit a calm day; Panarea follows, then Stromboli, timed for an evening off the Sciara del Fuoco, before the return to the Sicilian coast. Most passages take an hour or two at a typical cruising speed, and the wind sets the order each morning.

When to go

The season runs from May to October. June and September suit the Aeolian islands best; July and August are the busiest months, and in August space in the small harbours of Lipari and Salina is scarce.

Summer winds in the Aeolian islands usually come from the north-west or north-east, and the day's anchorage is chosen on the sheltered side. Strong southerlies are the uncomfortable exception, when even the two harbours give little protection and a yacht may run for the Sicilian coast. In Siracusa, the Greek Theatre's season of classical drama runs from May to July.

Marinas and arrival

Palermo's airport lies 32 kilometres west of the city and suits the north-west and the Egadi islands. Catania's Fontanarossa, Sicily's busiest airport, is 4 kilometres from Catania and about 30 minutes from Porto dell'Etna. For the Aeolian islands, charters embark at Portorosa, a marina of some 650 berths on the north coast, or at Milazzo, the islands' ferry port, both reached by road.

Yachts and what a week costs

The Aeolian harbours are small, so larger yachts spend most nights at anchor and a capable tender earns its place.

Weekly rates follow the Mediterranean pattern. Before running costs, a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht runs from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000, a 30 to 45 metre yacht from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000, and yachts above 50 metres from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually; sailing yachts usually sit below motor yachts of the same length. The APA, typically 25 to 35 percent of the base rate, VAT at a rate set by the country and cruising area, and a customary gratuity of 5 to 15 percent bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate. Our guide to charter costs explains each line.

How a Sicily charter is arranged

We shortlist the yachts that suit your group and the season's route, choose the starting port to match it, and arrange transfers from Palermo or Catania. Sicily is also the natural end of a one-way route south from Naples and the Amalfi Coast. Our Mediterranean charter guide places Sicily in the wider sea, and the Italian coast offers more.

Tell us your dates, the size of your group and what you have in mind, and we will come back with a shortlist. Start the conversation.

Fleet

Yachts available in Sicily.

Available on request

The current selection for Sicily is shared privately on request. Speak to a yacht advisor for a curated shortlist.

Request the selection

Season

When to cruise.

Best months: May to October
Prevailing winds: Maestrale · light afternoon breeze
Typical base ports: Marina Villa Igiea, Palermo · Palermo Marina Yachting · Marina di Portorosa · Porto dell'Etna, Riposto

Mondello Beach and turquoise waters near Palermo in Sicily

May through October, with the Aeolian islands at their best from June through September. The western and northern coasts are reliable across the window, while the exposed Ionian side is more weather-dependent. July and August carry the largest fleet through the Aeolians, with Panarea the busiest; the June and September shoulders are the calmer, more rewarding weeks. Most charters run the coast in one direction and combine it with the archipelago rather than doubling back.

Ports

Marinas and anchorages.

Marina Villa Igiea, Palermo
Palermo Marina Yachting
Marina di Portorosa
Porto dell'Etna, Riposto

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

When is the cruising season in Sicily?: May to October. The Aeolian islands are at their best in June and September, and July and August are the busiest months.
Where do Sicily charters depart from?: Palermo for the north-west and the Egadi islands, where Marina Villa Igiea takes yachts up to 65 metres; Portorosa or Milazzo for the Aeolian islands; and Porto dell'Etna at Riposto, for yachts up to 80 metres, for Taormina and the east coast. Taormina itself has no harbour: yachts anchor in the bays below the town.
How long is a typical charter from Sicily?: Seven to ten nights covers the Aeolian islands and part of the Sicilian coast. With two weeks, the route can add the Egadi islands off the west coast, or run south along the east coast past Siracusa towards Malta.
What does a Sicily yacht charter cost?: Sicily follows Mediterranean rates: from around EUR 30,000 to EUR 80,000 a week for a 20 to 30 metre motor yacht, and from around EUR 80,000 to EUR 250,000 for 30 to 45 metres, before running costs. Yachts above 50 metres start from around EUR 250,000, quoted individually. The APA, VAT and a customary gratuity bring the all-in cost to roughly 130 to 150 percent of the base rate.
Which airports serve a Sicily charter?: Palermo's airport, 32 kilometres west of the city, suits the north-west and the Egadi islands. Catania's Fontanarossa, Sicily's busiest airport, serves Taormina and the east coast, with Porto dell'Etna at Riposto about 30 minutes away; ash from Etna occasionally closes it, usually for no more than a day. For the Aeolian islands, guests fly into either and continue by road to Portorosa or Milazzo.
Which Aeolian islands should a charter include?: A week can take in all seven. Lipari and Salina have the main harbours and suit evenings ashore; Vulcano is the closest to Sicily; Panarea, Filicudi and Alicudi are settled-weather anchorages; and Stromboli, constantly active, is best seen from the water after dark. The order is set each day by the wind, which in summer usually blows from the north-west or north-east.
Can you see Stromboli erupting from a yacht?: Usually, yes. Stromboli has been in almost continuous activity for thousands of years, with small summit explosions at intervals of minutes to hours that are visible from the sea. Yachts stand off the Sciara del Fuoco, on the north-west flank, after dark. Activity varies, and the civil protection alert level is checked before the visit.
Are the Egadi islands worth including?: Yes, on a western route from Palermo or Trapani. Favignana lies about 16 kilometres south-west of Trapani, with Levanzo and its prehistoric cave paintings close by and Marettimo the most westerly. The islands lie within a marine protected area of nearly 54,000 hectares, whose four zones carry their own rules on navigation and anchoring.
Can a yacht berth at Taormina?: Not in the town itself: Taormina has no harbour. Yachts anchor in the bays below it, such as Mazzarò, and guests go ashore by tender. The nearest berths are the seasonal pontoons at Giardini Naxos, at the southern end of Taormina Bay, and Porto dell'Etna at Riposto, a short run south, which takes yachts up to 80 metres.
What winds should a Sicily charter expect?: In the Aeolian islands, summer winds usually blow from the north-west or north-east, with sea breezes in calm spells, and the day's anchorage is chosen on the sheltered side. Strong southerlies are the main concern, since even the harbours of Lipari and Salina then give little protection, and gales, though uncommon, are possible in spring and early summer.